Turkey’s first battery assembly plant 

The first full-electric version of Ford Transit, Ford Otosan commissioned its new investment that will play an important role in the electric vehicle transformation. A Battery Assembly Factory is getting established in Kocaeli Plants, Ford of Europe’s largest commercial vehicle production center. The factory will be established in Kocaeli by 2022.

Ford Otosan took the production responsibility of “Ford E-Transit”, the first fully electric version of Ford Transit. Thus, Ford Otosan has entered a new stage. Ford Otosan General Manager Haydar Yenigün made the following statement on the subject:

“As Ford Otosan, we have assumed important responsibilities in manufacturing commercial vehicles on behalf of our country and reached a very important position in the Ford World with our engineering knowledge. We had started with Custom PHEV to commercial vehicle production, Turkey’s first and only chargeable vehicle, to lead the transformation of the automotive industry. We recently achieved great success by taking the responsibility of manufacturing the E-Transit, Ford’s first fully electric commercial vehicle. Now, we have started working to establish our battery assembly factory, which was designed by Ford Otosan engineers. So, we have already shown success among the world’s best factories in our plant at Kocaeli which is an important step towards becoming the first and only integrated car manufacturing plant in Turkey. With our battery step, we add a new one to our software engineering capabilities beyond production. With this important investment, we develop hardware and software tests, beyond battery assembly, with our own engineering. Therefore, this investment is a gain not only for Ford Otosan but also for our country. I believe that the production of electric vehicles, including the battery, will make a very positive contribution to the national economy in a wide ecosystem and to the competitiveness of our industry, including domestic suppliers, in the world. “

We do not slow down with our investments for 60 years

Noting that the company has been the driving force of Turkey’s automotive industry for 60 years and achieved the firsts, Yenigün as follows: “We can tell proudly that, whatever the conditions have been, we always managed to succeed in the firsts In our 60-year journey. We produced nearly 6 million vehicles in total and exported them all over the world. We signed in many successes from the first domestic engine to ıToy awarded truck. Our R & D strength of Turkey’s. We have become Europe’s largest production base for commercial vehicles. We provide employment to thousands of families, we continue to ensure that we are one of the most investment companies in Turkey, only in the last 10 years we have invested 2.5 billion euros. 71.8% of our light commercial and heavy commercial rate reaching 79.4% nativism Turkey have come to the best spot. Not only us, but also our country’s automotive ecosystem, sub-industry, and suppliers have grown and become global with us. Our Domestic Transits have reached millions of customers around the world so far, and our electrical domestic Transits will be on European roads in 2022. I am confident that we will achieve significant success with our electric vehicle investments, as we have done until today. “

How will the process work in battery production?

According to Yenigün, “in Turkey, the first full-electric commercial vehicle that will be produced at Ford E-Transit offer a 67 kWh, 400-volt lithium-ion battery with up to 350 km”.  Yenigün as follows: “We will provide efficiency with smart transport systems (AGV) in our new battery assembly factory, where we aim an integrated operating system and will be equipped with the latest technology manufacturing solutions. We will use new-generation riveting and welding technologies to get high-quality product output. We aim to create a highly automated and flexible production facility with a total of 30 robots, 8 of them on the assembly line and 22 on the case production line. In our technological facility, camera controls will be made with collaborative robots (COBOT). Batteries will be passed through security tests such as electrical tests and air leakage tests in test laboratories to be established within our organization. During these tests, the battery pack; charge level control, package and cell temperature control, and software control. With the new cold metal transfer welding technology we will use, the air and water tightness of the battery cases will be 100% controlled. With the process assistance system supported by projection and 3D sensors called ‘Light Guide System’, all assembly steps of the battery pack can be followed. In addition to the support system, possible production errors will be prevented with image processing cameras placed on collaborative robots”.